Molinari, the lead hockey writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, has covered the Penguins since 1984. He was recognized by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association for his "subtle blend of dry wit and unending sarcasm," and for chronicling the career of Hall-of-Fame forward Mario Lemieux.

"The fans of Pittsburgh of been fortunate to have highly skilled players such as Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby," PHWA president Kevin Allen said in a statement. "And they have been equally fortunate to have a highly skilled writer such as Dave to chronicle their successes.

"With his dry wit, Dave is also the leading press box humorist in the hockey writing community. He is one of the most respected hockey writers in the game today."

John Davidson was named the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award winner for his contributions in hockey broadcasting. Davidson, the president of hockey operations for the St. Louis Blues, has served as an analyst for CBC and the MSG Network and has been in the broadcast booth for the past five Olympic Games.

"John Davidson has had a remarkable career in almost every aspect of professional hockey, and we as a broadcast community benefited immensely from his expertise and professionalism," said Chuck Kaiton, president of the NHL Broadcasters' Association. "He is an incredibly deserving recipient of this honour."

The two will be honoured at a luncheon Nov. 9, prior to the Hockey Hall of Fame induction.

"For me, it's overwhelming," said Davidson. "I've got about 300 people to thank for it."

This year's Hall of Fame inductees will be announced on June 23. First-year eligible players for induction include Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Brian Leetch, Alexander Mogilny and Luc Robitaille.